Alma y Corazón Dance Group.

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: BLANCA GUTIERREZ

History of the Group

Our director, Blanca Gutiérrez, has taught folklórico dance to hundreds of students over the past 16 years. She learned folklórico dance as a student at the University of California, Santa Cruz with Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas.

When she became a school teacher in 1991, she taught folklórico dance to her students during P.E. Parents asked for a performance, and so her students began performing at school and in the community. Students and parents from other classes began to ask her to teach their children too, so the group became an after school dance program.

As the students performed more and more out in the community, students and parents from other schools asked if she knew of classes for them.

This year is the first year that Alma y Corazón has become a community dance group. Blanca Gutiérrez now offers classes to students throughout the community.

The performing troupe consists of students aged 3-12 and performs often for public and private events in the community. The group dances with all our heart and soul, and that is why we are called Alma y Corazón Dance Group.

Regions performing

Michoacan

Nayarit

Jalisco

Veracruz

Resumé of Artistic Director

Blanca Gutiérrez

1987-1990 Member of University of Santa Cruz Grupo Folklórico Los Mejicas

1991-1996 Classroom teacher with classroom folkórico program

Soledad Union School District

1996-1998 Classroom teacher with classroom folklórico program

Santa Rita School District

1998-1999 Classroom teacher with classroom folklórico program

Salinas City School District

1999-2005 Dance teacher for schoolwide after school folklórico program

Salinas City School District

Director, Alma y Corazón de Los Padres of Los Padres Elementary School

1999 Member of Grupo Folklórico de Karina Powers

2006-Present Dance teacher for community folklórico program through the Alisal Center for the Fine Arts 2006-Present Director, Alma y Corazón Dance group, Salinas,CA

Blanca Gutiérrez, Director for Alma y Corazón Dance Group (831) 262-0897